The 4 most influential players in AFC history

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#53
Porps (not in the same league as the others of course)
Lairdy ;)

I'm a bloods man way back as well mate.. I've been trotting out those contributions for years when the right conversation comes up :)

Fielke. ;)
Don't get me started on Grantley the great man.

Mickan, Rutten we could go on for days!
 

crows dude

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#54
I think people forget or are too young to remember just how dominant Shaun Rehn was in his prime. Was the best ruckman for awhile there and if it wasn't for the 2 knee recos, I reckon he'd be heralded a lot more. Absolute champion player.

Every game nowadays I lament the fact that our ruckmen don't thump the ball into the forward 50 like ol' Rehny used to do. Too much tap tap sometimes. Need a goal bad? F****** thump the thing!
Legend

1994 - The season sucked. We were hopeless but Rehnny dominated and earnt his first all Australian with and 19 year old named Mark Riccuito

1995 - First knee and everyone said no rehn and no Adelaide. Well the next week we won with Pitto starring. But again season sucked.

1996 - Another knee and another 12 months. Would we ever get to see his best again.

1997 - Blighty had him return early in the season and eased him into it having Pitto do most of the ruckwork. Come finals though rehnny leads the way and takes off his bandage at half time of the Prelimnary Final and leads us to victory.

1998 - Great Season. Fourth in the brownlow and the dominant tuckman in the AFL.

1999 - Another knee due to the centre square mat.

2000 - Played 16 games but never really reagained his 1994 or 1998 form. Traded to Hawks at the end of they year but never was the same.
 

little graham

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#58
If it was just on field then Darren Jarman won two flags off his own boot.
So clean was the ball into the forward line in the last quarter of the 97 GF. Modra would of kicked 7 or 8. St kildas midfield went full on berserk in that last quarter, but applied no defensive pressure and their forward line was to heavy and slow.
 

little graham

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#59
In no particular order, I remember vividly the days this club was built.

Nigel smart.

He was their in all the tough times, getting hurt. He's taken that quality into his admin role. That Guernsey debarkle may be alot of things, but in tough times he had ago at culture and pride. Played on guys in defense he shouldn't of. When Robran went in 93, he stepped up to the plate. When modra went down in 97, he stepped up to the plate. When we had issues in defense, he stepped up to the plate, time and time again. When we beat hawthorn at Waverly in 97, when normally we would lose games like that, he said while interviewed straight after the siren "we had to draw a line in the sand somewhere, this is it"

He phuqin loved playing those grand finals, was mr fix it.

Mods was the most purest footballer Ive ever seen. He also hurt when this club hurt and week after week was our best player in all those losses in victoria. He also admitted to playing for the crowd in home games. Had a sense of occasion. His 97 was different to any other season, in hindsight you could see he and blighty never got on and he knuckled down instead of getting the shits. Blight couldn't handle that. if modra hadn't found the strength, we wouldn't have any flags. In those games in 93, when games were slipping away, he was the one that united a playing group still yet to bond.

The next two would be the guys still playing that polled the most best and fainest votes under coach Scott Camporeale.
 

adelaidecrows

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#61
I am going to be different here and state that McDermott, A Jarman, Smart and McGuinness were easily the most influential players in the clubs early days. They helped build and shape the club. Modra became the first true star of the club with Riccuito and Macca not hitting their straps until later on. In fact Modra explicitly credits McDermott as the reason he reached his potential.
 

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Geoffa32

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#62
Both on and off the field.

1) Tony Modra - One of the main reasons in the early days that this club was so popular both here and interstate.

2) Roo - Who will ever forget the ultimate "Captains game" against Carlton at Princess Park. Great leader.

3) Andrew McLeod - On of the most admired people in football. Love him.

4) Eddie Betts - Electrified the club at a time when we we were suffering player exodus and the post Tippett saga. Really important player who lifted the supporters spirits at the most difficult time in the clubs history. You just have to go to an Auskick training session to see how much the kids love him.

I like this list, the OP is not asking who are the four best players, but most inspirational. I agree with it.

Modra Mania was massive in this town for most of the 90s. In the days before prematch entertainment, people flocked to Footy Park just to watch this man. The financial success of our club in this era was on the back the opponents Mods leapt on. BTW, Mods is a great Clubman. Is at our games quite often and will always stop and have a chat.

Roo. Our best captain and most inspirational player in terms of actual player leadership. Is showing this trait now by seeing the rot that Sando was letting set in and ousting him.

Macca. Probably our best player. Inspirational because for a good part of his career he played with little cartridge in his knee. Being only the second player to win two Norm Smiths and inspire our players in two Grand Finals onto greatness also helps. Like Roo is now an off field leader at the club.

Betts. Is the modern day Modra. We are now in an era where Pregame Entertainment and razzamatzz is used to get people to the Footy. When the reality is people come to watch players who entertain. That is Eddie.


Even before the OP started this list I would have thought that our club's most inspirational players were these four.
 

GreyCrow

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#63
I like this list, the OP is not asking who are the four best players, but most inspirational. I agree with it.

Modra Mania was massive in this town for most of the 90s. In the days before prematch entertainment, people flocked to Footy Park just to watch this man. The financial success of our club in this era was on the back the opponents Mods leapt on. BTW, Mods is a great Clubman. Is at our games quite often and will always stop and have a chat.

Betts. Is the modern day Modra. We are now in an era where Pregame Entertainment and razzamatzz is used to get people to the Footy. When the reality is people come to watch players who entertain. That is Eddie.


Even before the OP started this list I would have thought that our club's most inspirational players were these four.
Have talked about Eddie in the same way we used to talk about Modra.

Just the anticipation when he is near is exactly the same as 20 years ago seeing Rehn pump a handball to McGuiness who would drive it long into the forward line and MOOOOOOOOOOODRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA :D

Eddie has that same impact. People look for where he is on the field
 

Cap

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#65
Have talked about Eddie in the same way we used to talk about Modra.

Just the anticipation when he is near is exactly the same as 20 years ago seeing Rehn pump a handball to McGuiness who would drive it long into the forward line and MOOOOOOOOOOODRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA :D

Eddie has that same impact. People look for where he is on the field
I agree Betts has reached cult status.

You don't get your own chant easily.
 

fairfooty

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#66
In no particular order:

Blight - showed what this club could be.

Roo - our best clubman - on and later off the paddock - began the club Renaissance by making some really tough calls.

Walsh - began the playing Renaissance - his legacy will be legendary (Pykey is honouring it, tweaking it and continuing it his way)

Modra - the most amazing Modra...

Betts - we didn't recruit him we stole him - has galvanised the fan base in a way I don't remember anyone else doing in living memory (except maybe Modra)

Fages - there is daylight between him and the rest of the club CEOs - is making the admin of every other club in the AFL look decidedly ordinary.

And yes I know that's six and not just players - but it takes more than players to make a club and all deserving IMO.
 
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ams4crows

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#68
Regarding DJ above, funnily enough watched the 97/98 GF last night with 5aa commentary (available on youtube, KG crying and losing it in the box).
We played great attacking footy, reminded me of this season tbh.

But yeah top 4 would be as per the op.

Interesting stat, across his whole career, Ben Hart only polled 12 brownlow votes. Ian Perrie received more.
and 3 of those votes came against Freo for a 2 goal 14 possession game when Andrew Mcleod got 40 disposals... cost him the Brownlow
 

ams4crows

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#69
["10920"]I don't think there's much of a debate with this one

Roo (Brownlow medalist and the most influential captain the club has ever had)
McLeod (dual Norm Smith medalist)
Jarman (Darren Jarman's magic won us 2 premierships off his own boot)
Modra (Coleman medalist and the only Crow to ever kick 100 goals in a season)[/QUOTE]
100% This, I love Eddie but he hasn't quite done enough...... yet
 
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